The Bill

I'm not a big fan of Dig Spy, but I don't see how the complaints Pad cites are anything to do with it not being soapy: More to do with the way it's now shot and the background music (no mention of officers shagging in the locker room? ). After all the show wasn't soapy immediately before they added those features.

As for the theme tune, personally I think Overkill was an integral part of the programme. I accept it has been re-mixed over the years, but it's still been essentially the same tune-- but they've replaced with a 'nothing' really. It's like not having the brass opening tune for Coro, or the piano/violin intro for Emmerdale.

Stamp is a popular character-- confer the campaign to save him. AIUI, the actual police consider him the most 'real' character. I think he has provided re-assuring continuity throughout, if nothing else. OK he has to be retired at some point, but why now? One may talk about character development (even though it's not a soap), but there are many characters who are just 'functionary' on The Bill and have not been axed. Besides I see Stamp's role in The Bill in recent years as a mentor and oracle.

You can't understand what people are moaning about? Fair enough. But I think the new filmic style, the background music and the 'dull' look of the programme hasn't added anything beneficial to the programme-- if anything the reverse for me. Perhaps the decline in ratings reflects this; if it ain't broke, why fix it? Why make it like Spooks (or whatever)-- it's like comparing an egg-whisk with a deck chair. The Bill is The Bill.

I accept programmes change, but change isn't always for the better. I appreciate they had to change the flavour for a 9pm slot; but that could've been done in the nature of the writing/storylines, rather than pretentious (in my view) gimmicks.

Gripes aside: The writing, storylines and acting remains top-notch-- so I will persist with the programme as I always have done

Are you for real?

Thank you mediaman2007, thank god you don't work in the media.

__________________

Anyway, at http://thebill.com/productionnews/articledetail/item_100026.htm

they say and quote:

Surely they knew it was ITV Player, not iPlayer.

Whenever I hear people speak of watching programmes they've downloaded from t'internet, they always refer to the service as iPlayer: regardless of whether they are disussing a programme from BBC, C4, Five, ITV or any other provider.

It's probably becoming accepted as a generic term, much in the same way as you can 'Hoover' your home with a Dyson vacuum cleaner, 'tape' with a PVR, or 'Google' even if you happen to be using another search engine.

Perhaps the writer of that media article should've researched it better, but I doubt whether the average person in the street was misled.

lol of course I don't.

And of course you do.

Right?

Hmmmm, my experience is different.

Do they use the correct name of the service they have used? You didn't make it clear in your answer.

Thanks for explaning it - very detailed indeed. Freeview

Just an idea, but I want to see which characters people would like to see in The Bill.

I would like:

Chief Superintendent Charles Brownlow
Chief Inspector Derek Conway
DCI Jack Meadows
Inspector Andrew Monroe
Sergeants Bob Cryer, June Ackland and Matt Boyden
and PC's Gary McCann, Tony Stamp, Reg Hollis, Des Taviner, George Garfield, Dave Quinnan, Luke Ashton, Vicky Hagen and Di Worrell.

So, hows this new Bill working out for you all then?

Excellent?

Fair-to-middling?

Pish?

All vote now.

Excellent in my opinion. They've done a good job with the new format, and I love it.

Wasn't a regular viewer before, am not a regular viewer now. Enjoyed it when I watched it before, still enjoy it now. Feels different - and certainly feels as if it has higher production values. Looks nice in HD.